State to investigate former Somerset judge

The state will hold a formal hearing next month looking into alleged improper conduct by former municipal court judge Richard Sasso when he served in the Somerset County towns of Bridgewater, Bound Brook, Warren and Watchung.

In March, Sasso, 53, was slapped with a seven-count complaint that accuses him of being intoxicated while on the bench and cites a disorderly persons incident at a Bound Brook strip club in November last year.

The hearing by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct will be held Nov. 10 at 10:15 a.m. at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick.

Sasso retired in January citing health reasons, but an investigation was already underway by the state. The March 13 formal complaint includes accusations made in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by attorney Michele D'Onofrio against former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco regarding her treatment at his firm. D'Onofrio claimed she was fired for filing a complaint about Sasso being inebriated on the bench. The firm settled the lawsuit with D'Onofrio in May.

Sasso has said he disagreed with the advisory committee and indicated he was on painkillers for a spinal injury after a car accident. He also denied causing a disruption at Torpedo's, a Bound Brook go-go bar, after he refused to leave his driver's license with the bartender. According to the formal complaint, Sasso told the bartender, "Do you know who I am? I'm the Bound Brook judge." He was then asked to leave by the manager, the complaint said.